We’re just weeks away from a whole new Mario Kart, and let me tell you, we’re beyond excited. The Booster Course Pass, which started dropping in 2022, gave Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a new lease on life, but at the end of the day, it’s the same ol’ MK8 we’ve been grinding since May 2014 on the Wii U.
Don’t get me wrong – we’ve had a blast with the Switch’s top-selling game (and even dabbled in Live: Home Circuit, and had some fun with Tour more than others), but after a whole decade of it, it’s time to spread our wings and dive into a fresh world – maybe even a Mario Kart World.
As we line up on the starting grid and start revving our engines, let’s take a moment before the storm hits to look back and see just how far Mario has come in his kart since his first race in 1992.
In this ‘countdown’ feature series, us NL staff will be reminiscing about every game in the series and tracing the racing line that got us from Super Mario Kart to Mario Kart World over the span of 33 (!) years. We’ll chat about the new stuff each game brought, how they evolved over time, the things we loved, the stuff we were glad to leave behind, and what Mario Kart World borrows from each one.
Start your engines…
Super Mario Kart (1992)
Image: Nintendo
I’m not gonna lie, I’m a newbie when it comes to Nintendo history, so it took me a while before I got my hands on Super Mario Kart. I think it was on the Wii or maybe even the New 3DS Virtual Console when I finally got to see where it all began. And let me tell you…I wasn’t all that impressed.
I reckon a lot of Super Mario Kart’s pros come from being the OG. I mean, if you hadn’t played the later games, this would’ve been a solid bit of two-player fun. The sprites are oozing with SNES charm, the concept is wild, and the tracks, while a bit basic by today’s standards, were a clever workaround for the 16-bit limitations.
Image: Nintendo
Taking a trip down memory lane in 2025 is quite the experience. It’s the game that laid the foundation for the series I adore, and it’s full of that nostalgic charm that only a hyper-sensitive drift button and squished item boxes can deliver. But it’s missing that goofy, party vibe that I crave in a Mario Kart.
It’s worth a replay on NSO if you haven’t fired it up in a while, but I can’t say I’d pick it over…any other game in the series. – Jim Norman
• Standout tracks: Bowser’s Castle 3, Vanilla Lake 2, Rainbow Road
• Fun fact: The game’s manual gives special names to each driver: “The Bros.” for Mario and Luigi, “The Dragon and The Lady” for Yoshi and Peach, “The Showdown” for Bowser and DK Jr., and (my personal fave) “The Small Guys” for Koopa and Toad
• What does Mario Kart World take from this? Just the whole idea of Mario & Co. in karts, along with items and iconic locations like Rainbow Road. The wacky format would come later, but this is where it all began.
Mario Kart 64 (1996)
Image: Nintendo
Mario Kart 64 was my first, so it’ll always have a special spot on the podium for me. It was this game, along with GoldenEye, that made it clear how awesome having four controller ports on your console was. That being said, those controllers were pricey!
Image: Nintendo Life
To be honest, most of my 64-bit karting was two-player, and a lot of that time was spent battling it out on Block Fort or Skyscraper, mashing ‘A’ and ‘B’ at the same time to pull off a quick green-shell hit on my bro. Sometimes we’d even play three-player when only two of us were actually playing because the PAL version ran faster for some weird reason.
I usually went for DK or Wario, but even back then, the character models felt a bit ‘old’ compared to the chunky polygonal racers in Diddy Kong Racing. However, the tracks were a huge leap from the flat, 16-bit loops. With multiple paths, hazards, and item-wielding rivals, the SNES original seems like a serious racer compared to the carnival atmosphere, crazy obstacles, and daring shortcuts here. Pulling off the Mario Raceway wall-jump shortcut three times in a row is still one of my proudest gaming moments. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I still cherish that ghost data!
My little shortcut was nothing compared to stunts like this, but hey
Special shoutout to the music, too, forever etched in my brain. It took me a sec to realize why I was grinning so much during the Mario Kart World Direct, but then it hit me: the raceway theme was playing. Such a great game. – Gavin Lane
• Standout tracks: Royal Raceway, Koopa Troopa Beach, Yoshi Valley, Toad’s Turnpike
• Fun fact: If it’s all a bit much, you can press ‘L’ to turn the music down or off completely in this one
• What does Mario Kart World take from this? The first four-player Mario Kart, 64 set the stage for the chaotic multiplayer fun to come, with wild tracks and surprises that steered the series away from straightforward racing
Mario Kart Super Circuit (2001)
Might still have that MVC card in the wallet somewhere… — Image: Gavin Lane / Nintendo
Mario Kart Super Circuit was my first taste of the series, and while I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea these days, I still absolutely love its simplicity. Sure, it’s slipped down a bit in my rankings lately, but I still admire its more straightforward approach compared to MK64 and Double Dash; it’s aged better than Super Mario Kart.
Image: Nintendo
I can still remember playing it in the backseat during family road trips (tilting my original GBA just right to catch the light); even after I aced every Grand Prix and nabbed top ranks, I’d go back and start all over again. The controls just felt so smooth, and while I probably enjoyed Superstar Saga and A Link to the Past a bit more, Super Circuit is one of my top GBA games for pure gameplay.
Returning to it in 2025, I gotta admit, I had to spend some time getting used to the controls, which isn’t something I’d expect with any other entry (except maybe the original). Drifting, especially, feels super twitchy. There were definitely a few moments where I slammed right into a wall. Or a lake. Not great. – Ollie Reynolds
• Standout tracks: Sky Garden, Boo Lake, Sunset Wilds, Bowser’s Castle 3
• Fun fact: Super Circuit introduced the Lightning Cup; earlier games only had the Mushroom, Flower, Star, and Special Cups.
• What does Mario Kart World take from this? Some might argue that Super Circuit didn’t bring much to the table, but hey, it’s the first handheld entry, right? At this point, there are just as many portable Mario Kart games as there are not!
And that’s a wrap. All three of these games are playable on Switch with an NSO subscription at the Expansion Pack level (and SMK is available with a standard sub), so if this trip down memory lane has got you feeling nostalgic, hit the tracks for a lap or two and share your memories below.
In Part 2, we’ll dive into the GameCube’s Double Dash, Mario Kart DS, and Mario Kart Wii – keep an eye out for that next week.
And if you’re curious to see where these three landed in the race for the best Mario Kart, check out our ranked list covering that very topic…
